Crimes against women
It is sickening to read reports almost every day about incidents of assault against women which continue unabated despite more stringent laws (Page 1, “26 arrested for raping minor”, September 24). While 99% of such cases go unreported, it is the undue delay in prosecution and the abysmally low conviction rate that take away from the effectiveness of such laws. The case also shows up one of the biggest flaws in our education system — the lack of focus on the instruction of moral values at the school level. Building the character of students and making them responsible citizens is nowhere to be found in our education system. It is time the Indian education system is thoroughly revamped to give primacy to building the character and moral fibre of students and even incorporating sex education at an appropriate level in secondary education.
Kosaraju Chandramouli,
Hyderabad
I began to read the daily (Chennai edition) on Friday only to find four horrifying reports: “College [girl] student stabbed to death in Tambaram”; “26 arrested for raping minor” (both page 1 reports); “Youth arrested under POCSO Act in Ayapakkam” and “Child sex abuse victim found hanging [in Kerala]” (both Inside page reports). Though the Indian judiciary cannot decree to pronounce cruel punishment as in some parts of West Asia, there needs to be such stringent punishment that the perpetrators suffer deleterious repercussions.
Mani Nataraajan,
Chennai
The rise in such crimes shows that laws need to be cognisant of the complexities in sexual violence. For instance, an earlier court verdict that “groping a child through their clothing does not constitute sexual assault” is odd.It is high time the Supreme Court of India steps in to make amendments regarding the complexities and extend it to the marital and familial fronts. It might be necessary to have restrictions on media outlets and speeches that are insensitive towards the topic and supporting ‘victim-blaming’ through and in politics, in order to prevent their manifestation in misogynistic ideas.
Haritha K.S.,
Chennai
What is even more terrifying is that people are becoming desensitised to such crimes. If we look into the matter more carefully, the problem also lies in the online representation of girls. A lot of people are into anime and manga, a Japanese form of entertainment. And though I am a fan, I cannot overlook the fact that it is hugely problematic — sexualising school-going children. Despite being a young, gender nonconforming person, I have faced harassment in public and the effect it has on a person is, quite frankly, traumatising.
It is time we hold men and boys accountable. Schools, government and private, need to have lessons on gender awareness. We need to teach teenagers what proper consent is.
Rupsa Marak,
Tura, Meghalaya
Cancer and surgery
I write this letter as Professor, Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary services, Department of Surgical Oncology, Cancer Institute (WIA), Chennai. Congratulations to the young doctor who overcame rectal cancer and won a medal in her postgraduate exams (Chennai, “After undergoing robotic surgery for cancer, doctor wins gold medal”, September 24) . She has shown that there is life after cancer. However, the statement implying that ‘conventional surgery leads to a colostomy whereas robotic surgery prevents a colostomy’ is not only misleading but far from the truth and is not supported by good quality evidence. The decision to perform a colostomy in rectal cancer depends on many variables, least among which is the surgical approach. Moreover, a colostomy should not be seen as a deterrent to undergoing surgery for rectal cancer.
Dr. Ramakrishnan A.S.,
Chennai
